<![CDATA[SHELTON PRIVATE VOICE STUDIO - Blog]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:05:18 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Let it Go... no really, Let... It.... Go!!]]>Thu, 08 Jan 2015 05:47:09 GMThttps://www.sheltonprivatevoicestudio.com/blog/let-it-go-no-really-let-it-go
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It is the question on everyone's mind:  what do you think of Idina Menzel's performance and comments for New Year's Eve?   

With the rash of lip-synced performances that usually permeate these specials, Idina's choice to sing live is admirable.  However,  NYE in NYC in 20 degree weather is an appropriate time to seriously consider lip-syncing for your life!  Plus, she should have had the good fashion sense to wear a thicker coat and scarf to give herself a fighting chance to sing better.  

Yes, I do believe Idina Menzel has talent, though NO I do not believe she has a confident, stable technique.  And when the chips are down, it's technique that helps you live to sing another day.  The internet has always been riddled with recordings of Idina singing amazing with an equal amount of recordings of her biffing.  (A particular recording of her live performance of "Defying Gravity" comes to mind that was bootlegged in London which is no longer available on YouTube...)  

Let's set a few things straight though and let it all go....

Idina said the following after her performance on NYE as published by E! Online (bold print signifies E! Online's publication, and the first person narrative that follows is my statement):  

"There are about 3 million notes in a two-and-a-half-hour musical;"  I'd agree, amongst ALL the performers on stage and in the pit, there's probably 3 million notes.  For one singer in a modern musical??    .... No ....  Take just a moment and count to 3 million out loud.. go ahead... I'll wait.  I'll be here when you're done.  

.....

You've returned!  No you see the joy of hyperbolic speech.  Keep reading: 

"...being a perfectionist, it took me a long time to realize that if I'm hitting 75 percent of them, I'm succeeding," she said. 

Right, so we just established that her responsibility isn't in the millions.  Let's say that her responsibility is 1,000 notes.  75% of 1,000 is 750 notes.  If she's such a perfectionist, then why is 750 out of 1,000 "succeeding"???  Have we misunderstood the definition of perfection for generations??  Before you hit the comment button note that I do understand that not every note sung in a live show will be spun gold and perfection.  In fact, I have made mistakes myself on stage, but I have also been on stage and in the audience for many singers who only miss a couple notes out of 1,000 and do it every night of the week whether it's rehearsal or a performance.  

"Performing isn't only about the acrobatics and the high notes: It's staying in the moment, connecting with the audience in an authentic way, and making yourself real to them through the music."  She continued, "I am more than the notes I hit, and that's how I try to approach my life."

If there is one thing you take away from her comments, it's this statement.  As singers, we are creatures that are much deeper than just our voice and the notes we sing (and the acrobatics with which we do them!).  A wise woman at my undergrad always encouraged us to investigate our other interests and develop ourselves outside of the school of music.  That said, when you have to get up and deliver you better do it and outshine all the others or you won't get the role, job, or solo.  

In Menzel's defense, the great outdoors of Times Square isn't exactly the best venue to belt out a classic. And with frigid temperatures, we can only imagine how it felt to walk onstage.

See my previous statement about dressing appropriately for the occasion.  It's cold out?  Wear a scarf and a stylish winter coat.  Someone with a hit like this and the backing of Disney should be able to afford the right clothes to wear for a winter performance.  

"You can't get it all right all the time, but you can try your best," she concluded. "If you've done that, all that's left is to accept your shortcomings and have the courage to try to overcome them."


You better work to get it right all the time, and you better practice in such a way that you don't go out and sing wrong notes or encourage yourself to biff.  She's right, you do have to accept your instrument for what it is and seek to minimize it's shortcomings, but if you practice right and have a dependable technique with which to sing, you can wow them every day and night!

Is it too much to ask for more than 75% correct, when all you have to do is sing for 5 minutes on live television?  NO... no it isn't too much to ask.  

Now that's been let go, you wanna know someone who delivered a fair 95% every time she sang?  Whitney Houston.  Watch her in her heyday singing "One Moment In Time" or her AMA's medley of "I loves you Porgy/And I am telling you/I have nothing" when she tears the house down live.  Her manager, Pat Houston, is on record stating that one of Whitney's favorite things to do was sing live.  

Watch Kristin Chenoweth (Idina's frequent co-star) sing "Glitter and Be Gay" live.  Watch her videos from her early days on Broadway, watch the vids of "Popular"...  she is technical and consistent in her work!  
]]><![CDATA[*cough*  I can't, I'm sick]]>Tue, 23 Dec 2014 04:10:20 GMThttps://www.sheltonprivatevoicestudio.com/blog/cough-i-cant-im-sickIt's that time of year.. the leaves change, the weather cools, rain falls, allergies are bonkers, and the cold and flu are rampant!  It is wise to discuss being sick and taking care of your voice through the transition between the seasons.  I would like to state up front that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, but a professional singer active in the trenches.  No matter what is written here, NOTHING can substitute a visit to a good doctor and a check up if you're feeling sick!  If you try any of the things discussed here, use your better judgement and don't do anything that will hurt you!

**N.B.:  Please understand that your voice teacher can almost always tell the difference between when you've been sick and when you've not practiced.**

General health advice:
  • drink more than 8, 8oz. glasses of water (That's 64+ ounces for those doing the math),
  • wash your hands,
  • exercise regularly,
  • sleep a full night (the amount of time differs for everyone, though 8 is a good average),
  • eat balanced throughout the day,
  • take time to relax each day,
  • and, most importantly, PRACTICE.

1.  Allergies
     Know what affects your allergies.  If you are irritated by ragweed, pollen, mold, pet dander, etc.  you need to know!  Allergies affect us all differently; sometimes it merely is a headache, other times heavy drainage and thickened mucous.  If that is the case, you should probably be taking a pill (or shots) to prevent it.  But know that many allergy medications can dehydrate you so it's of tantamount importance that you are drinking more than 8 full glasses of water each day.  
     Some people claim that eating local honey daily will help alleviate allergy symptoms.  I've tried it, and do believe it can help, but it's not a sure cure.  When allergies set in, many people use a Neti Pot to rinse out the interior of their sinus cavities.  I Love my Neti Pot and have a plastic one for when I travel.  It has helped relieve many sinus infections and shorten the amount of time it takes to recover.  At first you're going to think nasal irrigation is gross and tough, but if you want to sing bad enough, you'll do it.  

2.  The dreaded Cold Virus 
     The most common ailment I hear throughout the year is the dreaded Cold Virus.  A cold can knock you down, but not out!  You have to figure out how to treat yourself during this time.  I am not a fan of NyQuil/DayQuil options unless some chicken soup and sleep don't make me feel better.   The -Quil family can often supplement with caffeine or sleep inducers which help you stay awake/rest but can leave you and your body with a groggy feeling after it leaves your system.  Rest is very important, but if you've been practicing regularly prior to the cold you will probably be safe to sing through it.    

3.  The Flu
     Rest, rest, rest and see a doctor to be sure.  As a rule, I say if you're running a fever DO NOT sing.   Rest.  It's your decision to get the flu shot.  

4.  Mental health
     Many people neglect this aspect of their health.  It boils down to many factors, but you always need to assess your state of mental well-being.  Exercise helps relieve stress, meditation will help clear the mental clutter, but whatever you do you must take care of your brain!  Ask yourself if your expectations are realistic, if your self-confidence is secure, if your nerves are in check... if your mind is not set, everything might feel like an attack in your lessons.  Your teacher should be there to make you better technically, build your confidence, and push your musicianship.  However, if your mental health is suffering for whatever reason, you may feel constantly attacked by your teacher.  Analyze if your mental state is helping you or hindering you before addressing your teacher.  

5.  When to go to the ENT?
     Ultimately, you have to know when to go to the ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor).  If you or your voice teacher hear a constant rasp in the center of your vocal range- go.  If you feel pain in your throat that radiates while you speak after resting- Go.  If you experience diplophonic sound from your throat (more than one pitch or prolonged hoarseness)- GO!!!!!  Most voice therapists and ENTs will recommend voice rest for a determined amount of time.  Hopefully you are not at the stage that you need voice rest (or surgery), but FOLLOW YOUR ENT's PLAN FOR THERAPEUTIC RECOVERY!   
 
6.  The Wives' Tales
     There are tons of old wives' tales about fixing your voice before a performance if you're sick.  There's no one sure fire way, but these are a few of the wives' tales.  
  • Gargle warm salt water - pretty useful if you're having a lot of drainage that you're feeling on your vocal folds.  It can help you get some excess mucous out but not all of it.  Don't swallow this, you'll hate yourself if you do,
  • Olive oil - yes, it can take care of many bacterial concerns, but there's no significant research that backs it as a way to get over an infection or cure you,
  • Hydrogen peroxide - again, this one helps with most bacterial concerns but isn't a sure fire cure.  Folks in blogs will tell you to drink it, snort it, swish it in your mouth... I say, use your better judgement,
  • Lemon - it's quite acidic and can cause more tension in your throat than soothing,
  • Coke-a-Cola - sometimes I love a good bottled Coke before singing.  Some people claim it gets mucous off your cords, clears your sinuses, or opens your resonance.  See if you like it.  

Again, nothing here can replace a good visit to your primary care physician or an ENT, but always follow the directions on medications and use your better judgment about any old wives' tale you take on!

Now, sing out, Louise!


]]><![CDATA[The success of singing part two:  Now that you've found a teacher you should....]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2014 18:21:15 GMThttps://www.sheltonprivatevoicestudio.com/blog/the-success-of-singing-part-two-now-that-youve-found-a-teacher-you-shouldNow that you’ve found yourself a teacher, you should:

1.   Learn a Solid, Dependable Vocal Technique

Technique for a singer, no matter the genre, is the most important part of maintaining a long, healthy career of any sort.  It’s the same situation for a dancer or even a runner.  A dependable vocal technique is one of the keys you learn from your teacher.  Without technique, or using a faulty technique, a singer can develop an injury that might be difficult from which to recover.  Abusing or overusing the voice can lead to a wealth of injuries such as vocal hemorrhaging, bruising, nodules, or muscular disorders to name only a few.  Even if you come to singing later in life, you can learn a dependable technique suitable for your vocal needs!!  No matter what you learn in lessons though, technique is of utmost importance! 

2.   Go to Lessons REGULARLY

This point is easy to understand, but if you miss a lesson for any reason, do your absolute best to MAKE… IT… UP!  Not having a lesson affects YOU the singer especially in the early stages of technical development!  If you are practicing regularly, attending lessons regularly, and taking care of your voice you’ll notice the changes and so will your audiences!

3.   Learn How to Practice… Then DO IT

Frustration, or plain ol’ laziness, usually prevents quality PRACTICE from happening.  Every day you need to be spending time warming up, singing your repertoire (songs), and working on the interpretation (acting/selling) of your pieces.  If you don’t know how to practice, ASK YOUR TEACHER.  Take notes in your lessons or even record your lessons on your smartphone/iPad!  There are countless apps that you can download to record lessons or just use a voice memo function.  If you’re sick, you can still practice by memorizing your piece or speaking it like a monologue.  Even by speaking through it, you can practice your interpretation/acting in front of the mirror!  Try to avoid not practicing more than a couple of days per week.  Prolonged periods without practice don’t benefit your development. 

4.   Learn How to Play The Piano so you can help yourself

You don’t need to play like Horowitz to be a successful singer.  However, you do need to be able to read the treble and bass clef along with basic rhythmic structures to sing pretty much any genre of music.  Even your favorite singers and bands know how to play the piano to some degree!  If you’re going to be a songwriter, you’ll need to be able to dictate tunes onto the treble/bass clef for bands, singers, and producers to read!  Knowing how to play the piano won’t hurt your abilities as a performer. 

4a.  If you’re not going to learn how to play the piano, learn how to play      the guitar so you can help yourself. 

Similarly to piano skills, you don’t have to be an amazing guitar player and shred the instrument, but you do need to be able to tune, strum, read a chord chart, and communicate your vision and intent for the song(s) if you’re playing for yourself.  How could this skill hurt you?

5.   Learn How to Sight-Sing (so you can help yourself)

Why wouldn’t you want to learn how to read music?  This is often the most difficult skill to learn for some singers, but it is learnable!  Whether you learn how to sight-sing through solfege (Do, Re, Mi, etc.) or numbers, learn to do it!  People that can pick a piece of music up and sight-sing it without needing to touch a keyboard typically get hired back more frequently than those who can’t!  Likewise, if your lesson is spent singing and not learning your notes, imagine the progress you’ll make!

6.   Learn to Be Open-Minded… so you can help yourself (and others)

When you’re a performer, you will be asked about your own interpretation of many songs.  That being said, you will also have to collaborate with others frequently!  There is no escaping it, so you have to learn to embrace it from the start.  If you are difficult, hot tempered, and closed to others’ interpretations, don’t anticipate being asked to return someplace.  The more open-minded, cheerful, and easy-going you are the more likely you are to be invited to perform again.  If it means you need to meditate frequently, grip stress balls, or exercise do your best to keep your frustrations out of sight. 

7.   Take Care Of Yourself

You are your instrument as a singer, which means you need to protect yourself from illness and injury.  There are many home remedies that you can try when sick, but whatever you do, PLEASE BE CAREFUL that you don’t try something that can hurt yourself.  Use your common sense, and if it is skewed by cold medicine, ask someone with good judgment.  Know for yourself the differences between allergies, the cold virus, and the flu.    Nothing replaces a visit to your doctor- not the internet, your cousin, or a witch doctor can replace partnering with your general physician. 

The path to successful singing is dependent upon you-  whether you want to be a pop superstar or a better singer at church you need to equip yourself with the skills to help yourself and the performers around you.  Madison Music Foundry has three qualified voice instructors to help you reach your goals!  Stop in today to have a meet & greet lesson with one of them!

]]><![CDATA[The Success of singing part one:  Finding an instructor]]>Mon, 08 Sep 2014 03:21:41 GMThttps://www.sheltonprivatevoicestudio.com/blog/the-success-of-singing-part-one-finding-an-instructorThe most common question I hear from aspiring singers is:  “What can I do to become a better singer?”  You would think the answer is simple, right?  Just take a few voice lessons.  It’s just singing, isn’t it?  Well…  the answer actually isn’t as simple as taking a handful of voice lessons.  You need to be a well-rounded musician too!

THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF THIS BLOG
If you only read one thing today, read this:
Find the voice teacher that you are comfortable with and who supports you.

Every voice is built differently, and that means everyone’s understanding of vocal technique(s) is as unique as the singers themselves.  Take a moment and read those two sentences again.  (Find the voice teacher that you are comfortable with and who supports you.  Every voice is built differently, and that means everyone’s understanding of vocal technique(s) is as unique as the singers themselves.)  Some teachers approach technique from a scientific perspective, others through imagery, and some have a great ear and know great singing!  No matter the teacher you choose, you need to find the one who helps you understand technique and elicits progress in your voice. 

Your voice teacher needs to: 

  1. be interested in teaching you,
  2. possess a degree in singing (either vocal performance, music education with a vocal emphasis, or vocal pedagogy),
  3. and have experience singing professionally. 
Think of it this way, would you go to a doctor that doesn’t express interest in your health, didn’t go to med school, and recently switched careers from a local coffee company?  No.  No, you wouldn’t go to that doctor.  Why should your voice be any different?  Yes, there are a lot of good, even great, natural singers out there who have never had a lesson in their life.  Sometimes they might know how to help you, however there is an equal amount of natural singers out there who do not know how to communicate the technique of singing.  Think about the preceding points when choosing your teacher so you can find the best fit for you.

Stay tuned for The Sucess of Singing Part Two: So Now You've Found a Teacher: You Should...

This blog entry also appears on the Madison Music Foundry's Resources page!  Want to read other blogs by our instructors follow the link here

]]><![CDATA[Listening to the Universe's Stage Direction]]>Sun, 09 Jun 2013 18:39:50 GMThttps://www.sheltonprivatevoicestudio.com/blog/listening-to-the-universes-stage-directionI recently watched an interview with an outstanding entertainer who said, "I've always had a knack for listening to universe's stage direction."  This statement really resonates with me, and I find myself thinking about it throughout the week.  So, I dedicate this first blog to doing what God, the universe, and my good common sense are telling me!  <raises coffee mug in salute>  

As a musician, we must always evolve and go with the flow.  Lesson #1, the hardest lesson to learn, and the greatest lesson all rolled into one.  Many days, I have to remind myself about to go with the flow.  I'm a Taurus; we're rigid, stubborn, and reliable.  A blessing and a curse, but one must continuously learn.  Gene Wilder in Kiss me like a stranger attributes much of his success to "luck."  He claims he always found himself in the right place at the right time doing what he loved to do.  Merely luck, or did he merely listen to the universe's stage direction?  "Luck" is a double edged sword because when we place "luck" in the mix it allows us to displace the blame for negative circumstances and downgrades our positive circumstances.  

For example:  
"I got this role because I was lucky to be in the right place singing well that day."  
"Luck wasn't on my side 'cause they went with someone taller/shorter/thinner/larger/smarter/dumber/prettier/more 'character-like'."  
"You're so lucky you get all these opportunities!"

My friend Karen and I sat at coffee several months ago discussing some of the interesting twists our careers have taken.  A phenomenal actress, she shared with me that her motto is to continuously move forward because no progress can be made without forward motion.  So true!!  Unfortunately, this lesson includes missteps and disappointment!  (After all, she didn't say that forward motion is a paved sidewalk with glorious sights, botanical gardens, and restaurants of decadent foods!!)  If you stand still and accept circumstances as they are, you cannot make progress.  We tend to forget, a rolling stone gathers no moss!  As a musician, you will probably have to work a job that isn't musical and drives you to your wit's end just to feed yourself.  However, you are not destined or resigned to stand still in that position!  Take your days off and fill them with steps forward;  take auditions, stage readings of plays, have coachings, lessons, research, sing, practice, perform- JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD!  If you truly want to perform, make the opportunities.  Most of the jobs in this business were created by someone so they had a performance outlet!  There Karen was, reminding me to listen to the universe's stage direction.  

This is a career where you get out of it what you put into it.  Positivity, passion, energy, compassion, excellence, and colleagues are just a few of the rewards that await you if you listen to the stage direction being given in your life!  Learn for the past but do not allow it to paralyze you!  

Now, move forward!!

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